[Medli’s Melodies is a series in which we choose our favourite tracks from the Zelda franchise, or highlight a special piece of music from the perpetually creative fan community. Music has always such been such an integral component of Zelda games, and we’re here to celebrate that every week!]

Ever since I was a kid, I have always found the accordion to be a complex and fascinating musical instrument. My grandfather used to play it, and I remember constantly wondering as I watched him play, “how does he do it?”. So when I was playing Breath of the Wild, it was only obvious that when I first found Kass and heard him playing an accordion, I couldn’t help but just stand there and listen to him, completely lost in thought, reminiscing of my long lost childhood, and the fascination I used to feel by watching my grandfather playing.

This quickly became one of my favorite themes from the game that I could listen to, looping for several hours straight. It’s not only because of my memories, either: there is something so charming about the choice of tones, and the waltz-like rhythm they compose; and the fact that one instrument alone is capable of accomplishing this with no need for accompaniment of any kind. Oh, and when it transitions to the main theme, it’s just the bit of nostalgia it needed to make it even more memorable.

Kass himself is a very relaxed and likeable character, and that sure makes the theme even more enjoyable. While one may expect a bird to just sing, or play some other instrument (like a harp, for some reason), an accordion seems to fit Kass perfectly. As a traveling musician, he would need a versatile instrument that is also capable of resonating through the vast open areas of Hyrule he’s often found at; something you can notice as you hear his song playing in the distance, getting louder and clearer as you get closer to him. We’ve seen many other musicians throughout many of the games in the series, but personally, there are none as memorable as Kass and his trusty accordion.